God Bless America!

Happy July 4th to all

This is Independence Day - commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from great Britain.

God bless America on this very special day...and always. I love this country and am proud to be a citizen. This doesn't detract from my love for New Zealand - the country of my birth...but I have always been an "American." Being an American is not so much about the PLACE you are born as it is about the BELIEF in freedom, justice faith and equality. America is as much a principle to live by as it is a nation to live in. So...I honor America and all who serve these principles today.

So...let's have the national Anthem...There are many renditions of the National Anthem...but this one has to be one of the best ever - love their harmonies...

I am praying for the USA today - joining believers all across the US to pray during these first 7 days of July - this is led by Anne graham Lotz:

It is not too late to join in and pray for revival for this great nation.  Pray for revival - Pray for the fear of the Lord to grip our nation - Pray for the Church - Pray for all those who are serving in this nation's uniform - Pray for our leaders - Pray for America to be blessed, and to be a blessing to all other nations.

Please Continue to Pray For Colombia

I am leaving for Colombia in a few hours (at 4.15am to be precise!) I wanted to post a few more prayer points for all my blog visitors – please remember to pray for our meetings in Bogotá.

• The primary thing is that Colombia, like all nations, needs revival. Please pray for the presence of God to flood the churches and streets of every city from north to the south – east to the West.

• The predominant denominations: 86% Catholic, 9% Protestant, 1% indigenous religions, 4% other religions

Las Lajas – Ipiales Considered by many the most beautiful cathedral in the world, Las Lajas Sanctuary looks like a building you would expect to find in a fantasy world. It was built between 1916 and 1949, in the canyon of the Guaitara River, with only the donations of local religious folk:

• As of January 2012, there were over 15,000 children who had been forcibly “recruited” into illegal armed groups. The girls often suffer repeated rape and the boys are forced to kill even people they know. Others are made to work the coca fields used to supply cocaine around the world. One child shared, “This happened last year while we were in school. Some flyers were passed around to recruit the children from our school. They ordered that the first ones to come must be the pastor’s daughters.” Pray for the protection of children vulnerable to being targeted in this way and for the ministry of Christians working through prayer, love and care to transform the lives of children who have suffered at the hands of these groups. (Information from Open Doors)

  

• Many areas of Colombia still suffer from the decades-long civil war between left-wing guerrilla groups and right-wing paramilitary forces. The war peaked in the 1980s, but at the end of 2010 at least 3.6 million people remained uprooted from their homes and Colombia’s Ombudsman says numbers of missing people have risen by 30 percent during the last 12 months. Christians have long been a target for Marxist guerrilla groups but a spate of recent attacks is causing particular concern. Christian activity is restricted or banned in many parts of Colombia held by left-wing rebels who feel that their authority is threatened by the standing of pastors as community leaders. Church leaders have also been targeted for their efforts to dissuade young people from enlisting with the rebels. Pray for courage and endurance.

• Child prostitution is a growing problem in Colombia. The country’s Justice Ministry estimates that there are currently 35,000 child prostitutes. “Poverty and violence create an environment where sexual exploitation thrives,” explains Tearfund’s Rose Camargo de Bravo”. Pray for agencies and churches in Colombia as they battle against child prostitution and for an end to sexual exploitation. (Information from Tearfund 2010)

• In April 2011, Colombia suffered its worst flooding in living memory, most of the residents of Atlantico – a region adjacent to Colombia’s Caribbean coast - are still living in shelters or with relatives. Nearly 200 have died in the floods, and over 70,000 people were made homeless. Initial estimates have placed damage at US$5 billion. The floods have yet to subside and thousands of hectares and entire towns remain under water. Government help has been sporadic and with livelihoods disrupted, healthcare centers and schools closed, affected families face malnutrition and ongoing hardship. Christian organizations have been helping three affected communities with food, mattresses, healthcare and medicines – as well as pastoral care to restore flagging spirits. Pray for those living in shelters and ask that local authorities will provide vital assistance as a matter of urgency.

• Pray for President Juan Manuel Santos, his government and the 45,000,000 population. President Santos has continued the strong stance against illegal guerrilla groups.

• Pray for the economy of Colombia – the fifth largest in Latin America. Colombia exports principally coffee and oil as well as emeralds.

• Pray for righteousness, justice, and peace to become foundations of Colombia

• Continue to pray for the Church – for pastors and worship teams to make way for the presence of God

Go HERE to find more prayer needs for Colombia

7 Things - Characteristics of Revival Preaching During the Great Awakening

George Whitfield (1714 - 1770)

Historian J.C. Ryle listed seven characteristics of the messages that were preached during the Great Awakening of the eighteenth century:

1 They taught the supremacy of Holy Scripture.




2 They preached the total corruption of human nature.




3 They taught that Chris's death upon the cross was the only satisfaction for man's sin.




4 They preached the doctrine of justification by faith.




5 They taught the universal necessity of heart conversion and new creation by the Holy Spirit.




6 They spoke of God's eternal hatred against sin and of God's love for sinners.




7 They preached that there was an inseparable connection between true faith and personal holiness. They never allowed for a moment that any church membership or religious profession was the least proof of a man being a Christian if he lived an ungodly life.




These awakeners continually cried, "No fruit, no grace." Jonathan Edwards believed that "every experience of God could be counterfeited except those with an insight into His holiness."




An insight into the holiness of God will always produce a life-style of repentance. When one enters upon this highway called holiness, it does not mean that he is perfect. It does mean that he is walking down a road of change. Repentance means a change of heart or a change of mind. Throughout the Christian life we should be continually changed, or conformed, into the image of Jesus Christ.

Great Awakening: 1730s to 1740’s – some say it lasted to about 1760

Lead by: Jonathan Edwards, Gilbert Tennent, George Whitfield

Major Themes: The saving grace of Jesus; Total Dependence on God

This awakening began at the same time as the Enlightenment which emphasized logic and reason and stressed the power of the individual to understand the universe based on scientific laws.

Significant facts to remember about the Great Awakening:

- It pushed individual religious experience over established church doctrine, thereby decreasing the importance and weight of the clergy and the church in many instances.

- New denominations arose or grew in numbers as a result of the emphasis on individual faith and salvation.

-It unified the American colonies as it spread through numerous preachers and revivals. This unification was greater than had ever been achieved previously in the colonies.

7 Things – 2Chron 7:1 Keys for revival

2Chron. 7:1 is an extraordinary passage that describes God's response to a prayer of King Solomon: 

2Chron. 7:1 When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

It is always great to find 7 secrets in one verse. Here we can see the culmination of Solomon’s prayer and God’s response. I just want to outline 7 awesome principles of revival that can be found in this verse

Prayer - the preparation and provision for revival

We need to pray until revival comes. Don’t stop asking God for revival until you see the answer to this prayer. I don't believe it is possible to have revival without prayer

Fire - the character and consequence of revival

This is a supernatural fire that comes down (fire goes up, but revival fires comes down) from the hand of God. We need God's fire to cleanse our heart and light the way to greater depths of His presence

Heaven - the origin and order of revival

We can pray for revival, but true revival must come as a result of God’s sovereign act. The Lord is the source and center of all revival - it comes from heaven and copies the order of things in His presence

Consumed - the cost and condition of revival

The Lord honored the sacrifice that Solomon prepared – when we become living sacrifices, we will see God’s response. The Lord consumes the total sacrifice - whatever you lay before Him, He will touch

Burnt offerings - the fuel and focus of revival

Our flesh needs to be consumed by the revival fires of God’s presence. Revival always begins with individuals as He touches the depths of our lives

Glory - the purpose and product of revival

This is really what revival is about - the glory of God. Everything that happens in revival must center around Him and bring Him glory

Whole House - the extent and evidence of revival

True revival will touch the whole Body of Christ. I know there will always be those who disagree and speak against a move of God, but revival must be available for all corners of God's Church – the whole house will be touched when He comes like this

Each one of us needs a personal revival - join me in praying for God's presence and reviving Spirit to fall on every soul in every Church, and every generation, in every nation!